# Alcibiades — History of the Peloponnesian War character guide > Alcibiades in History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides. **Role:** major **First appearance:** 0002-book-i ## Snapshot Athenian golden boy of dazzling charm and bottomless ambition, whose genius for war was matched only by his genius for making enemies. ## Who they are Alcibiades moves through Athens as its most brilliant and least trusted son—rich, beautiful, eloquent, and utterly unprincipled in the pursuit of glory. His rivalry with Nicias splits Athenian politics, and his hunger for command pushes the city toward ventures abroad. Thucydides shows how a democracy's brightest talent becomes its most dangerous variable, since a man who can charm anyone can betray anyone. ## Relationships ### [Archidamus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se/characters/archidamus) _rivalry_ Alcibiades, the Athenian turncoat, and Archidamus, the Spartan king, were adversaries in the Peloponnesian War, with Alcibiades advising Sparta against his own city. ### [Phrynichus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se/characters/phrynichus) _rivalry_ Alcibiades and Phrynichus were bitter political enemies in Athens, with Phrynichus opposing Alcibiades's recall and later conspiring against him. ### [Astyochus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se/characters/astyochus) _psychological_ Alcibiades manipulated Astyochus, the Spartan admiral, into distrusting his own allies and ultimately defecting to the Persians. ### [Pisander](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se/characters/pisander) _friendship_ Alcibiades and Pisander were political allies in Athens, with Pisander helping to orchestrate the oligarchic coup that aimed to recall Alcibiades. ### [Nicias](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se/characters/nicias) _rivalry_ Alcibiades and Nicias were political opponents in Athens, with Alcibiades advocating for the Sicilian Expedition that Nicias opposed, leading to disaster. ### [Nicias](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se/characters/nicias) _rivalry_ Alcibiades and Nicias were political opponents in Athens, with Alcibiades advocating for the Sicilian Expedition that Nicias opposed, leading to disaster. ### [Archidamus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se/characters/archidamus) _rivalry_ Alcibiades, the Athenian turncoat, and Archidamus, the Spartan king, were adversaries in the Peloponnesian War, with Alcibiades advising Sparta against his own city. ## In the story ### [History of the Peloponnesian War](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se/chapters/history-of-the-peloponnesian-war) Charismatic and controversial Athenian statesman whose shifting allegiances profoundly impacted the war. ### [Book V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se/chapters/book-v) Emerges as a key Athenian leader who undermines the Peace of Nicias and forges an alliance with Argos. ### [XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se/chapters/xvi) Opposes the Peace of Nicias due to personal pique and distrust of Sparta; secretly encourages Argos, Elis, and Mantinea to seek alliance with Athens; uses stratagem to discredit Spartan envoys and secure the Argive alliance. ### [The Melian Dialogue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se/chapters/xvii) Sails to Argos with twenty ships to seize suspected Lacedaemonian sympathizers. ### [Book VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se/chapters/book-vi) Key advocate for the Sicilian Expedition; recalled to Athens for trial regarding the Hermae mutilation and profanation of the Mysteries, then defects to Sparta. ### [XVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se/chapters/xviii) Argues passionately for the Sicilian expedition, defending his personal extravagance as beneficial to Athens and claiming Sicilian cities are weak due to internal strife. ### [XIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se/chapters/xix) Recalled from Sicily on charges of impiety and conspiracy; escapes from Thurii to the Peloponnese and is sentenced to death in absentia. ### [XX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se/chapters/xx) Athenian exile now in Sparta, delivering a speech to persuade the Spartans to aid Syracuse and attack Athens. ### [Book VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se/chapters/book-vii) Though absent from the action, his earlier advocacy for the expedition and subsequent defection to Sparta set the stage for the disaster. ### [Book VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se/chapters/book-viii) Defects to Sparta and later advises the Spartans, then becomes involved with the Persian satrap Tissaphernes, seeking to return to Athens. ### [Nineteenth and twentieth years of the war — Revolt of Ionia — Intervention of Persia — The War in Ionia](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se/chapters/xxiv) Rides to Teichiussa to inform the Peloponnesian fleet of the battle at Miletus and urges them to relieve the city. ### [Intrigues and Oligarchic Conspiracies](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se/chapters/xxv) Works to persuade Tissaphernes to ally with Athens, using his influence to secure his own recall and promote oligarchic change. ### [XXVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se/chapters/xxvi) Recalled from exile, elected general at Samos, prevents the fleet from attacking Piraeus, and exaggerates his influence with Tissaphernes to bolster Athenian morale and undermine the oligarchy. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se/characters/alcibiades - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/history_of_the_peloponnesian_war_se/characters